


Lightning

by flippednique



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Whatevenisthis, Will composes a song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 02:17:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8232604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flippednique/pseuds/flippednique
Summary: Or that one time everyone thought Will wrote a song about Jason.





	

Kayla shrieked, not hesitating in throwing her hands against her older brother’s shoulders, arms, thighs. Basically anywhere that was padded so her hits didn’t actually hurt. She had heard the news, and since this was a camp run by teenagers, gossip travelled fast and so did everybody else.

The one day the Apollo Cabin’s head counselor skipped out on his duties in the infirmary brought the feel of the Apocalypse. Will loved the infirmary; you’d have to fight him tooth and nail to make him go out. Now, he was voluntarily leaving? And he looked like he’d actually put an effort to his clothes and hair today. Oh gods above help them.

“Ow! Hey!” Will jumped a foot back and slammed into a wall, his hands held up in a placating manner. “I told the kids to leave your One Direction albums alone! It’s not my fault they didn’t listen to me.”

On another day, Kayla would be shrieking some more at the revelation, but she reigned it all in. This was more important. With every second passing, she could actually feel the temperature in Camp Half-Blood turn cold and humid. Two out of three of the children of the Big Three were at the moment, confused and mildly upset. They had to fix this, her brother’s love life be damned.

“Don’t do it.” Kayla begged him. Well, stated more than begged.

Will blinked at her once, twice then deflated against the wall. “You guys know?”

“Of course we do. It was painfully obvious.”

Will winced and ran a hand through his hair. “Dammit. I can’t even explain myself, it’s gotten so bad. I’m obsessing over him.”

“I know.” Kayla murmured. “I saw your song book.”

There was a shock of color on Will’s face and he glanced off to the side. “You know better than to go through my things.”

Kayla shrugged her thin shoulders and led her brother to a bed. There he leaned against her, burrowing his face into her side. “You know why we have to stop you, right?”

Will gave a loud groan, his entire body deflating in sadness. “Yes, yes. It’s for my own good and the camp’s own good. He’s too good for me and what was I even thinking that writing a song about him would make him look my way. He’s been in war, he’s saved lives, and he’s been at death’s door, even. And I… I’ve been here, stuck and useless. I don’t stand a chance.”

“Oh Will,” Kayla ran pale fingers through the blond locks on her shoulder. “I’m not saying he’s out of your league or anything, but pursuing him will cause a lot of conflict. None of us even knew you guys talked. Is this, like, some form of hero worship?”

Will shoved of his sister and plopped on the infirmary bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. “My affections are not that shallow, thank you very much.”

Kayla worried on her bottom lip. “Is it because of his looks?”

“Partly,” Will gushed softly. “I mean, can you blame me?”

“No.” Kayla chuckled. “I mean, those eyes.”

“So dark, so full of mystery. They hide things so well, the pain, and the sorrow. His sadness.” Will inhaled deeply. “I wish I could make all his pain go away. I wish it would be as easy as sipping it out of him. I would.”

Kayla frowned slightly; she hadn’t known that Jason was feeling that down on the scale of things. He seemed pretty content whenever she saw him. “I didn’t think he felt anything like that.”

“Seriously?” Will lifted his arm and gave her a look. “He’s not that good at hiding is feelings. You can literally feel his sadness oozing out of him.”

“Well,” Kayla recoiled from the look. As a child of Apollo they all trained themselves to be more in tuned to people’s emotions because patients didn’t always tell the truth. “he just seems more at peace nowadays.”

“I know,” Will smiled. “He’s more comfortable here.”

“As opposed to camp Jupiter?”

“I guess?” Will shrugged. “I mean, his sister is there. You can’t beat that.”

“She is?” Kayla’s eyebrows shot upwards. She didn’t know that the Hunters of Artemis made camp at the Roman’s side of things. She’d ask Piper later.

“All’s well,” Will mumbled tiredly. “It was a crappy song, anyway.”

Kayla winced. “I’m sure it was a great song.”

“Nothing like the stuff you guys compose.”

“Can I hear it?” Kayla asked carefully. The entire Apollo cabin knew how much Will hated to write songs because he never quite felt that they were good enough.

“Maybe later.” Will said, sitting up. “I guess I’ll go do something useful.”

“Now.” Kayla insisted, tugging on Will’s shirt to get him back on the bed. She stood up and grabbed the lone guitar that never left the infirmary and handed it to him, smiling.

“I don’t have the thing memorized.” Will muttered irately.

“I’ll live with just the chorus.”

Will stared at her for a moment before releasing a heavy breath. He tuned the guitar a bit, strum a few chords, then took in a deep breath and played. He had been lying when he said he didn’t memorize the song. His fingers played with the air of constant practice, he’d been preparing so much for this.

The bridge hit;

_I hope you notice me sometime, I hope you’ll be with me, be mine_

_You’re everything, you’re my sunshine_

_Oh oh oh_

_‘Cause I’ve been struck by lightning, lightning_

_And it’s frightening, frightening_

_I don’t ever think I’ll be the same again_

_Butterflies, they swirl_

_You’re my interest, my world_

_You mean everything, everything to me_

The song cut off abruptly, the door to the infirmary flew open with a sharp gust of wind. Kayla shrieked and fell of the bed, Will dropped the guitar, and Jason Grace, well, he was staring hard at the floor, a becoming shade of red on his cheeks.

“Uh,” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I need to talk to Will.”

Kayla’s head popped up from the other side of the bed and she stared in horror at her brother, who had straightened up the guitar then stood up to meet Jason without preamble. So brave, so very brave. Even in the face of heartbreak, Will walked with a confident gait.

“What’s up?” He asked, so casual. Oh so casual. Bless this child.

“I heard about the song,” Jason began, his cheeks turning more pink.

Will’s own face flushed, his hand moving to ruffle his already messed up hair. “Yeah, I guess it’s not much of a secret now huh?”

How was he so casual?

“Yeah,” Jason cleared his throat. “I just, uh. No hard feelings, man. I just… I don’t quite swing that way.”

“What?” Ah, there it is. The denial.

Jason shrugged his shoulders awkwardly. “I mean, you’re nice, I’m sure. It’s just we don’t hang out much. I know so little about you. And I’m kinda… interested in someone else so maybe, uh…”

“What?” Will was starting to sound like a broken record.

“I can’t return your feelings.” Jason said, getting it out of the way.

Kayla felt her heart twist in her chest. She wanted to stand up and see if her brother was okay, she’d barely made a move when Will looked at her over his shoulder. Instead of the teary-eyed gaze she had been expecting, Will had an eyebrow cocked, his lips pursed. That expression that screamed ‘I have no idea what this dude is talking about but I don’t wanna be rude, what do I do?’

“Uh,” Will began, finally saying something. He smiled at Jason. “Hey, relax. No hard feelings.”

The son of Zeus blew out a gust of air, ruffling the infirmary when he did. “That’s such a relief, thanks.”

“Yeah, uh, quick question.” Will licked at his lips. “Whoever said I had feelings for you?”

“Oh, uh?” Jason scrambled for a second. “Piper told me something about a song you’d written? And you’re siblings were panicking because you were going to leave the infirmary.”

“Right.” Will shot another glance at Kayla, this one with understanding. “The song.”

“What?”

“This is stupid.” Will smacked his forehead then grinned at Jason. “This was a whole misunderstanding.”

“What?” Now Jason was sounding like a record.

“The song I wrote, for the guy I actually do like, is called Lightning.” Will chuckled. “I think they immediately connected it to you, but it’s not, about you or connected to you. I know you’re a great guy but I barely know you.”

“What?” Jason recovered. “Oh, oh that’s…. great. Well shit, this was embarrassing.”

“No kidding.” Will sighed. “The entire camp thinks I like you?”

“Uh, I guess.” Jason’s eyebrows pulled together. “I’m sorry I assumed. When I was walking up to here, I heard you singing and it…. Kinda sounded like it could be for me.”

“Ah,” Will winced. “That’s cause I’m crap at song writing.”

“It actually sounded pretty good.” Jason said. “I’m sure whoever you wrote it for will love it.”

“He’s never gonna hear it.” Will shrugged his shoulders.

“Why not?”

That hadn’t been Jason. That hadn’t been Kayla either. Will moved Jason a bit to the side and gaped at the audience he hadn’t known had been there. And the person who had asked.

Nico had his hands in his pockets, his aviator jacket oddly placed during the summer. “It sounded good to us out here.”

“You heard?” Will choked out, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Yeah.” Nico looked away. “Sorry, I’m sure you didn’t want us to.”

“No!” Will froze. “I mean, uh-.”

Someone tapped his shoulder. Kayla handed him the guitar, an understanding smile on her face. “We were talking about the wrong person. I’m glad. He’s perfect for you big bro, go for it.”

Will stared dumbly at his sister and his entire body felt like it was frozen. He glanced to his left, where Nico stood with the camp, waiting and expectant.

He grabbed the guitar and took in shallow and shaky breaths. He felt like he’d just been struck by lightning.

How fitting. He played the song, again. Kayla watched it happen, appreciated how everyone seemed to get it all at the same time. Lightning had never been for Jason, it had been for Nico all along.

Two months after the incident, Nico was leaning against Will during the camp fire, someone was singing Lightning and leading the camp along.

“ _And it’s clear to see, you’re so amazing~”_ Will sang into his ear, grinning.

“Idiot.” Nico shoved at him playfully, but was smiling. “Why _did_ you call it lightning?”

“It’s how you make me feel.” Will whispered. “Do you know how hard it is to compose a love song with darkness, shadows, and cold?”

“Fair enough.” Nico chuckled.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> It's 1:16 AM I am procrastinating studying for my Clinical Chemistry Final. 
> 
> ALSO THIS SONG IS AMAZING GUYS, I would die for a WillxNico AMV with this song. It's keeping me up right now.
> 
> Lightning is by Henry Gallagher


End file.
